


Forever and Always

by solexacaptor



Category: Homestuck, MS Paint Adventures
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Slavery, F/M, Genderbending, Made For Each Other, Major Character Injury, Possible Crossovers with other AU's, Self-cest, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-26
Updated: 2013-03-28
Packaged: 2017-12-06 13:17:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/736122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solexacaptor/pseuds/solexacaptor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Solexa Captor is a young troll with a dark past. Sollux Captor is a slave, without hope. When Solexa saves him, their worlds turn completely upside-down. As they flee further and further from the market, they find that through all the tragedies they face, this was the greatest thing that ever could have happened to them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A new Dawn, on an Early Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!   
> This is a fanfic I wrote with one of my favorite people EVER!! ^u^ Sadly, it won't let me list her. BUT ANYWAY, IT'S Enslaved Sollux and omg~   
> It's based on a roleplay, which is still going on, so this fanfiction will go on as well.   
> Some chapters, the later ones, may contain smut. You will be warned beforehand, though!   
> Enjoy!

The sun beat down upon the dusty, dry, slave market, unrelentless, like an impassive eye glaring disapprovingly at the horrid trade. A young psionic lay in a cruel, rusted cage of solid steel and iron, a gunmetal-grey alloy collar tightened cruelly around his neck, cutting off some of his respiratory abilities. There were rows and rows of other trolls, each one chained up, all organized by blood color, a female troll ran down the rows, keeping her head down so no-one could see her red and blue eyes, the trademark of a psionic, she eventually stopped at the only other mustard-blood in the market. “Hey. You.” She stooped down in front of the cage, “You want out?”   
He stared at her, his eyes unreadable behind a pair of dusty shades, he was silent, as if biding his time, but for what? “2omeone’2 gonna catch me! Are you comiing or what?”   
This time he answered, his voice was low, and cracked from days without use. “You would free me..? Don’t you know what would happen iif they catch you?”   
“Whatever! Come on!”   
He rattled his chained wrists, the linked steel clinking together, indicating that he was unable to move very far from his current, prone, position. There was a simple, yet effective lock, he had tried everything, but as he had neither tools nor the will, his efforts were fruitless. “II’m kiind of 2tuck, II can’t get the chaiin2 off..” He muttered, glancing at his potential savior. She nodded, “II got it.” She quickly unlocked the chains with her psionics, the red and blue tendrils serving as a key. She did the same for the cage itself, then grabbed his hand and helped him out of the cramped space.

He crawled out, his muscles protested, but he ignored it, alarm shooting through him as he saw a blueblood stalking down the aisles of cages. The girl glanced around, noticing the blueblood and gasping. “2hiit.. We have to get out of here. Now!” She ran for it, still holding his hand. He ran beside her, his bare feet pounding into the ground like a pair of pistons, other highbloods began to chase them, slowly, but surely catching up to them. “There’2 a fore2t about a half miile away. IIf we can make iit there, we should be fiine.” The girl thought aloud. He nodded, looking over his shoulder to briefly catch a glimpse of their pursuers, he instinctively reached for his mental abilities as he realized how close they were, only to nearly stumble as the collar rebounded his psionics throughout his body in a painful backfire. She didn’t notice, still running as fast as possible. They’d made it out of the market and were close to the forest. He regained his balance, nearly tripping on a protruding root, but he caught up to her, the highbloods were nearly upon them.

Just as she made it to the edge of the forest, a searing pain shot up through her leg. She stumbled and fell to the ground, cursing under her breath. He stared back, their pursuers had been left far behind, hopefully for good, he glanced back at her. “Are you okay?” She made an attempt at getting up, only to fall back down, “2hiit..” She touched her leg, her shorts not hiding the long scar that had pained her. He kneeled next to her. “What’2 wrong..?” He asked, his voice carrying an air of concern. “II’ll be fiine. Ju2t go. II don’t want them to catch you.” He shook his head stubbornly. “No.” It was a single word, but the refusal within it was adamant, he would not leave her behind, and he made it crystal clear. “II thaid go.” She glared at him. “They can take me for all II care. But not you.”

He heard their pursuers crashing through the undergrowth, they must’ve heard them, feeling a small flicker of fear disappear into something far more potent; anger. “II am not leaviing, and that ii2 final.” She let out an angered sigh, trying once again to get up. She succeeded, although it was excruciatingly painful. He watched her, extremely worried, he didn’t know exactly why he was so concerned; he had just met her, he didn’t even know her name, and she didn’t know his. She winced as she tried to take a few steps, knowing she would have to bore through the pain if she wanted them both to live. He seemed to be faring a little better, but weeks of laying still in his prison had really eaten at his physical abilities. She stood in place and closed her eyes, drawing in a breath, then looked back at him. “Let’2 go.” He nodded, keeping his eyes on the trail they were slowly making their way on. She clenched her fists as she began to run, the pain absolutely unbearable. He began to run alongside her, looking for ways to throw their pursuers off, he glanced imperceptibly at her as they sprinted deeper into the woods.  
The highbloods were getting closer and closer. The girl knew exactly what she had to do. Turning her body, she blasted a beam of psionic energy at them, not enough to kill them, but maybe just keep them preoccupied for a while. He managed a small grin as he looked back to see the temporarily blinded slave-catchers. “Niice aiim.” He stated, slightly out of breath. She nodded, not really in the mood to be complemented, her eyes fixed on a small clearing up ahead. He hoped her optic blast had been enough to delay them, at least until they might be able to prepare themselves until their highblooded pursuers chose to continue the hunt.


	2. In Your "Shoes"

The girl made it to the clearing, collapsing to her knees and out of breath. Her eyes widening when she saw her own yellow blood dripping from her leg onto the grass. “F-fuck..” He mentally swore as he kneeled next to her. “Do you need anythiing..?” He asked after a moment of hesitation, his eyes unreadable. She glanced up at him. “My bag. II dropped iit r-riight there..” She pointed back to where the clearing started. He nodded, snatching it up quickly, handing it over to her, completely silent. She muttered a quiet thanks as she rummaged through the leather messenger bag for bandages. She quickly found them, binding her newly re-opened scar. He watched her, unsure of whether or not to ask if she needed help, he felt it might be smart to hold off until he knew her a little better. She sighed of relief as she tied the bandage, the gold-colored blood starting to soak through. “What happened..?” His voice was quiet, more like a soft murmur instead of a question. The girl looked away. “II thought II could tru2t 2omeone. II wa2 wrong.” Unsure of how to ask, he stayed silent for a while, finally speaking up. “Are you alriight?”  
“Fiine.” She replied quickly before pointing at the psionic-proof collar he wore. “II can get that off of you.” He shot her a grateful glance.   
“Thank you... II never diid catch your name, II’m 2ollux.” She got up, a bit shakily because of her injury, and got behind him. “2olexa.” She clicked off the collar, placing it on the grass. He felt a surge of familiar, mental energies bring back completed awareness, everything thrummed in an endless beat, quiet and subtle, the life-pulses of the plants, the animals, and of course, their own. She sat back down next to him, hugging her knees. “Better?” He nodded, giving her a small smile, she seemed familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it, he mentally shrugged it off, however. “You know, II wa2 iin your po2iitiion onthe, two..” He looked at her, a bit surprised. “You were..?” She nodded slowly. “That’2 why II came for you.. People who don’t know what iit’2 liike wouldn’t care..”  
He nodded. “Yeah, they wouldn’t...” He cleaned off his glasses, sliding them from the bridge of his nose to polish them on the edges of his worn clothing. She looked into his eyes. “Wow..” They were dark, nearly black. He smiled, they always seemed to draw that kind of a reaction. “Yeah... A liittle jarriing, aren’t they?” She shook her head.   
“Not at all.” Her words quiet, soft. She didn’t sound like this before. It occurred to her that she’d let her walls come down for an almost complete stranger and she looked away, mentally cursing at herself. This was her image, A tough girl with no emotion. But inside, she was a wreck. He slid his glasses back on, once more retreating into his shell, he didn’t trust, he didn’t love, he didn’t have friends, that had been a hard lesson to face when he had lost all three countless times. She looked at the ground though the space between her legs, changing the subject. “Ju2t patht thiis fore2t ii2 a 2mall viillage. IIf we can lay low, we may be able to theek shelter.” He nodded, glancing at her. “2ound2 liike a plan.” He looked up at the sky, the sun would set soon, they would probably have to find shelter soon, or forge ahead in the shadows, where they would be unable to see anything that might be stalking them, until it was far too late.

She sighed, getting up. “IIt took me about fiive day2 two get here from the viillage. 2iince there are two of u2, iit may take longer.”  
“Yeah, 2hould we keep goiing? There’2 a few hour2 of liight left ‘tiil dark.”  
“For now, yeah. Then, we can probably 2leep iin tree2 or a cave. Whatever we can fiind.” He got up, dusting himself off. “Let’2 go, then.” She nodded, getting up as well. The incision on her leg was starting to hurt less, so she could at least walk.

He let her take the lead, he didn’t know the forest that well, only having been in it once during an attempted escape, he halted his train of thought before a horrid memory made itself known once more. She started down a path she’d taken on her way here, trying to block out why she was truly in the forest. He glanced back, listening for the slightly quicker heartbeats of the highbloods, their blood had a thinner consistency than colors lower on the blood-caste, so their heart had to beat faster to compensate. Her eyes darted around, on a constant watch for their enemies. He could indeed hear them, but they were distant, faint, he looked down, were they making enough trackable signs for the slavers to read? If so, then they might have to do something to throw them off. After a while of walking, Solexa found herself extremely thirsty. She reached into her bag, pulling out a canteen of water and sipping from it. She turned to Sollux. “You want any?” She motioned to it. He shook his head, outwardly stoic.   
“No, II’m not thiir2ty.” She nodded, “Alriight. IIf you need anythiing, ju2t a2k...” He nodded, shooting her a grateful look. “Thank2.” She didn’t respond, only turning forward again. Her goal was to get as far as time allowed them before sundown. She wouldn’t waste any time with frivolities like making conversation.

He kept a sharp eye out for any moving shadows or silhouettes, anything that might indicate that someone, or something, might be following them. Her eyes widened as she heard a rustle of leaves. The sun had started its descent, and fighting in the dark wouldn’t be easy. His head snapped around to stare at the source of the sound, his eyes narrowed as he waited patiently for animal or person to slink out. Before either of them could react, a psionic-proof net was thrown at Solexa. She tried to her optic powers, only to make her fall back due to the pain. He stared at her in startlement, but only for a moment, he turned, his eyes glowing vividly, the slaver writhed as an unnatural, twisted force grasped his hammering heart, forcing it to still. Sollux listened for any other foes, slowly and hesitantly kneeling next to her, beginning to untangle the net. She looked up at him. “Thank2..” She used that same quiet, soft voice she’d used before. He gave her a small, uncertain smile.   
“No problem, iit look2 pretty dark, we 2ould fiind 2omeplace two re2t for the niight.” She stood up, glancing around.   
“IIf we’re where II thiink we are, there’2 a cleariing ii2 a 2mall cave not too far from here. II thiink we can 2leep there.” He nodded, tossing the net into the undergrowth, next to the deceased highblood and getting back to his feet. She took the lead again, walking the familiar path slowly and a bit unsurely. He followed, his bare feet making little to no noise as he walked beside her, looking like the epitome of calm and focused, while on the inside he was tensed up, coiled like a snake about to lunge, his odd senses expanding over the ever changing thrum of their surroundings. She soon spotted the beginning of the clearing, glancing over at him. “Okay, we’re here.”


	3. Vriska: Ruination of the Innocent

He sat on a small log, staring up into the darkening sky, watching the last rays of light begin to disappear, to bathe the forest in cool shadow. Solexa sat next to him, hugging her knees. “2o..” She looked at him, a bit awkwardly.   
He turned towards her, with a questioning glance. “Ye2..?”  
“II forgot two a2k iif you’re alriight..?” She cocked her head to the side.   
“Yeah, II’m fiine.” He replied, his eyes once again fixed upon the deepening blue, it had been a while since he had felt so at ease, especially with someone he barely knew.   
She looked at the ground, her eyes moving to his feet. They looked as if they’d been cut while running, but she wasn’t sure due to the dim light. “You 2ure?”  
He nodded quietly. “Yeah, II’m 2ure.”  
She nodded, resting her head on her knees. “II thiink II’m gonna go get 2ome re2t..” She got up, wincing a bit and slowly made her way to the cave. “Good niight.”   
He smiled, watching her, before he once more looked up as the first stars began to shine. “You’re there 2omewhere, AA, II can feel iit.” He whispered softly, after a few minutes, he stood up, stepping inside of the dark cave, his eyes providing enough light for him to see by. Solexa sat against the wall, holding something small and made of gold. There was just enough light to see the two zodiac signs on it, Cancer and Gemini. She noticed Sollux and quickly put it back in her bag, resting her head against the wall. He noticed, but didn’t say anything, he leaned against a corner, sitting down on the rough stone, his eyes ceased to glow, bathing the cave in complete pitch blackness once more.   
“Niight...” She said quietly, her eyes giving off a slight glow for just a moment before the cave returned to it’s darkness. “Niight.” He murmured, his voice soft, he closed his eyes, letting himself drift off into a light, dreamless sleep. Solexa’s sleep, however, was infested with nightmares. She was used to it, but for some reason, tonight was worse. She was being chased... again? Groaning, she shifted in her sleep, her expression nervous and scared. He felt a familiar laugh echo in his head, but he ignored it to give his body the rest he so desperately needed, he slipped off deeper and deeper, not even noticing the presence within his mind. His hands grasped a piece of stone, and began to carve into the wall a symbol; An M with a serpentine tail leading off of the edge, it was a rather noisy process, but he didn’t even stir from his unconsciousness. Solexa’s eyes snapped open, her eyes glowing again. “What the...?” She stared across the cave, seeing the carving in the stone. “2ollux..?” His eyes snapped open, the stone clattering to the floor, he looked at the symbol, it seemed familiar... “What... II2 that..? IIt wa2n’t here before, wa2 iit?”  
“You ju2t carved iit..” She looked at him, uncomfortably. “Do you know who2e 2ymbol that ii2?”  
“II diidn’t carve thii2, though, and II thiink II’ve 2een iit before, but II ju2t can’t place iit...” He replied, backing away slightly from the vaguely disconcerting sign.  
“You carved iit iin your 2leep.. II thaw you..” She cocked her head to the side. “And a2 for who2e iit ii2, her name ii2 Vrii2ka 2erket. She gave me thii2..” She pointed to her leg. He glanced at it nervously, not even able to recall doing something like this.  
“But... II’ve been a2leep the whole tiime, II woke up wii2 that rock iin my hand2... What the fuck..?”  
“II ju2t 2aiid you diid iit in your 2leep.” She repeated, watching him.  
He cocked his head, the name ‘Vriska’ Seemed awfully familiar... Realization dawned on him. “II knew of a Vrii2ka once, the kiilled 2omeone II cared for, and made ME the murderer.” His voice was level, he was keeping his anger and sorrow buried, he didn’t want to break down, he was past that.  
“Made you the murderer...?” She looked at him, then remembered Vriska’s mind-controlling powers. “Oh...”  
“II 2pent a few periigree2 iin the ho2piital, not jutht for phythiical iinjuriieth, but for mental oneth ath well.”  
She sighed, “II’m 2orry.. II know how horriible 2he ii2... 2he’2 the actual rea2on ii wa2 iin the fore2t... II wa2 runniing from her and II came acro22 the camp. II.. II felt II had two 2ave 2omeone..”  
He stared at her, in complete puzzlement, ‘what did she mean by that..?’ He wondered, hopefully safe within the confines of his own mind once more.  
She moved her gaze to him. “You know, II remember you..”   
“What do you mean..?” He sounded a little startled, maybe this was why she seemed so familiar.  
“For a tiime, we were both at the camp.. II wa2 acro22 from you.. IIt wa2 a whiile ago. II don’t really expect you two remember me. II wa2 quiiet for the mot2t part..”  
He thought, hard and long, trying to recall her, eventually coming up with a single mental picture, faded, mostly forgotten. “II remember you, II thiink, we never really talked, diid we..? II wa2 even quiieter than you, II almo2t never 2poke above a 2iingle word an2wer.”  
“II remember II triied two talk two you onthe, II told you II’d get u2 out.. You diidn’t re2pond though.. II 2till felt connected two you, 2omehow. II wanted two 2ave you.”  
His heart fluttered faintly, the only trolls able to do that had been his past matesprits, Sollux felt confused, to say the least. “II... II gueth II diidn’t re2pond becau2e II wa2 lo2t tho deep iin my own miind, II ju2t wanted two e2cape, and never return...” It sounded stupid now that he had said it, but that was how he had felt as a slave, the only form of escape he could manage.  
She nodded. “II under2tand... II kiind of fiigured you had 2omethiing on your miind the whole tiime. wa2 iit.. the vrii2ka thiing?”  
He nodded silently, looking a bit down. “Yeah, that wa2n’t 2omethiing II could get out of my head that ea2iily at all..”  
She frowned, then got up and sat next to him. “IIt’th okay. You’ll be okay. II promii2e.”   
He gave her a small smile, maybe he could trust someone, after all, her words managed to calm him down a little, but Vriska’s meddlesome murmurs still bothered him a little bit.   
She smiled back at him, tentatively taking his hand. “We 2hould 2leep. We have a lot ahead of u2 tomorrow.”   
He felt a slight blush rise to his cheeks, but nodded, closing his eyes, watching the black-blue entrance of the cave disappear as he fell asleep, hopefully without interruptions.  
She closed her eyes, falling into a light sleep. “Goodniight..” She murmured, quietly. He breathed deeply, his sleep undisturbed by any obnoxious spider-trolls forcing him to carve pointless symbols into the wall, or by any sounds that might alert him with his unnatural senses.


	4. Life's Ever-changing Beat

Hours later, Solexa awoke, glancing at the troll next to her and blushing when she realized that her hand was in his. He looked rather peaceful as he slept on, lulled by the constant, complex rhythm of life. She looked at him, giving him a smile as she touched his shoulder. She didn’t want to wake him, but they had to get going. “2ollux.. Wake up..”  
His eyes opened, a little bleary from sleep, he stretched slightly, he adjusted his glasses, looking out at the early morning sunlight trying to valiantly fight away last night's chill.   
“Morniing!” She grinned, her voice sweet.   
“Morniing.” He replied, smiling at her tone, it had been a long time since he had a reason to smile, far too long, actually.  
Solexa looked at him, her grin not fading. She felt she could be her true self around him. She’d never been herself around anyone. “2o, II thiink II know a good place two 2leep toniight. we may be able two make iit there iif we hurry.”   
He nodded, climbing to his feet, his back cracked from having been on rough stone all night, he glanced outside, the bright sun reflected off the morning dew, making everything shimmer and scintillate beautifully.   
Solexa got up after him, slowly going over to the other side of the cave, to get her bag. After not moving for so long, her wound was killing her. “2hiit..”  
“Are you okay..?” He queried, a little uneasily.   
“fiine.” She grunted, picking up her bag. The pain made her retreat back into her shell. “Ab2olutely fiine.”   
He shrugged noncommittally, watching her, his concern hidden behind his shades, everything through the corrective filters seemed a little discolored, but he would rather see these dull, muted colors, than to be stuck in a world of partial color.  
“Let’2 go.” She mumbled “We have a lot of ground two cover.”  
“Alriight.” He responded. “Lead the way.”   
She stepped out of the cave, squinting at the bright sunlight. As she slung her bag over her shoulder, she headed for the next path at the other side of the clearing, limping slightly and not saying a single word. He followed her, remaining silent, as his lacerated feet were giving him a bit of pain, he didn’t show any outward signs of emotion, however, appearing to be calm, collected, and completely focused; he really got distracted quite easily, his uncanny ability to hear the most minute of sounds had also made him quite observant, and yet he had an attention span as short as a small, tree-dwelling rodent. They walked for about an hour in silence before Solexa turned to look at him. “Do you hear anythiing...? II thiink II heard 2omethiing..”   
He cocked his head, sure enough, there were a few new heartbeats that had escaped his detection as he had focused on the path ahead of him. “Yeah... II thiink there’th about three of them...”   
“We need two lo2e them... Maybe triick them?”   
He nodded. “Yeah, how 2hould we go about doiing that?” He murmured, a wicked smile flashed across his face for an instant, as much as he hated ending life, he would gladly stop the hearts of whoever was hunting them, scum like that didn’t deserve to exist.   
Solexa shrugged, “well.. maybe lead them off..? ii don’t know... II’m not really the be2t fiighter.”  
“Alriight, where would we lead them?” He wondered aloud, if things got too out of hand, then he might end up having to explain his odd abilities, which had gotten him in trouble far more than once.  
“Not a clue.. II don’t really know thii2 fore2t a2 well a2 ii 2hould.”   
“We could 2tay off the path for a whiile, then double back and contiinue, would that work?”  
She nodded, “2ound2 good two me... We may have two leave thiing2 behiind two remember where two go, though..”  
He thought for a moment, before slashing into a tree with a flash of psionics. “Would thii2 work..?” It didn’t take that much effort to create a mental blade sharp enough to cut into the relatively soft bark, his psionics had a slightly darker hue to them, but it was almost unnoticeable.  
She nodded, giving him a slight smile. “Perfect.”  
He returned her grin, his large fang-like canines flashing brightly. “Let’2 do thii2, we’re makiing thii2 happen.”  
She chuckled, for possibly the first time in perigees, and took his hand, making a sudden dash through the forest. He followed, occasionally changing direction on a dime, his psionics making small, almost indistinguishable marks on the trees around him, his swift speed left deep tracks, a clear path for any pursuers, but he always kept her in sight, if she wasn’t, then he would listen for her racing heart. She ran as if her life depended on it.. Well, it kind of did. She hurt, but she didn’t care. They needed to get away, and fast. He could feel the injuries on his legs and feet reopening, the earth he tread upon was stained with his golden blood, but he didn’t care, he felt the joy of sprinting, knowing he was faster than his hunters, but it was tempered by a single thought; ‘Don’t get lost’ If he lost sight of her, he might be lost for good, his odd path had left him doubling back constantly upon his own trail, even his small signs were a mess, but he still felt her heart hammering within his range, quite loudly. Solexa stopped after about ten minutes of running, turning around and not seeing the other psionic. “2ollux?!”   
He homed in on her location, nearly tripping, he finally spotted her, finally coming to a halt, he sat on a stump, looking at her. He looked like he was exhausted, his lower legs covered in dirt and mud, his tracks leaving trace amounts of blood, his hair seemed to be matted down with sweat. “Riight h-here.”  
Her eyes widened, as she stooped down next to him. “Oh god.. Are you okay?”  
He nodded, his sides heaving for air. “II’ll be fiine, diid we lo2e them..?” He asked once he had caught his breath.  
There was a noise behind them, her eyes widened as she turned, “Apparently not.”  
His eyes gave off a few sparks as he leapt out of the way, a sharp blade slammed into a tree, missing him by inches, he yanked it out, flicking his wrist as if to throw it back where it had came from.  
“Uhm... We 2hould run..” She muttered, backing away slowly. He nodded, taking off from where he had entered the clearing, following the haphazard trail of slashed trees. Solexa followed after him, hesitating for a moment, the thought of the two psionics being caught chilled her to the core. She caught up to him, using her psionics to boost her speed, something she hadn’t tried until now. He looked back at her, slowing down to allow her to catch up, the shift in vision nearly slammed him right into a tree, catching his shoulder. She stumbled to stop, turning. “2hiit.. You okay?!”   
He looked at her for a second, before returning his gaze to his surroundings. “F-Fiine, ju2t bru2hed by iit, that’2 all.” She nodded and grabbed his hand, running. “We have to get out of here.. Now.”  
The highblood had already caught up, readying another knife, these ones flew with deadly precision, straight at them, he yanked her to the side, his eyes glowed; a much darker aura enclosed the would-be assassin, the same color as his eyes, nearly-black, and with a distinctly wrong sensation suffused the air.   
Solexa stared at him, her eyes wide. “What are y-”  
The highblood clutched at his chest, feeling his heart beginning to hammer at an unnatural pace, faster, and faster; until his heart burst from the intense pressure, the hunter died before he hit the ground.   
“2ollux, w-what diid you do..?” She was shaking a bit, obviously a bit scared. The glow subsided, leaving him with a slight headache. “II 2topped hii2 heart wii2 my p2iioniic2, II’ll tell you when we 2top two re2t for the niight, ii2 that okay..?”   
She nodded, looking at the ground. “2ure..”  
He looked away, feeling a little bad for frightening her, he knew how unsettling his abilities could be. He went silent, as did the environment around them, it was eerie, as if the world was holding it’s breath, finally, he decided to speak, his voice quiet and even. “We 2hould keep goiing...”  
“O-okay..” She started to walk slowly, not looking back at him. They were back on the path within a few minutes, and they were getting closer to the next clearing. He sat down on a mossy stone as they arrived, his eyes downcast, but still fixed on her, he waited patiently for the inevitable questioning about to take place.   
“2ollux... What wa2 that..?” She was still turned away from him, her eyes staring at the ground.   
“IIt... II’ve been able two do the2e thiing2 for a whiile.” His voice was soft, barely audible. “IIt happened a whiile ago, one of my owner2... He wa2 mon2trou2, even for hiighblood 2tandard2, II eventually couldn’t take iit anymore, II 2napped. II don’t remember anythiing el2e, but ever 2iince then, II’ve been able two hear the heartbeat’2 around me, not ju2t our2, but everythiing ha2 a pul2e that II can hear, and maniipulate.” He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding, it felt... Kind of good to let that out, actually, it had bothered him for as long as he’d had the unnatural abilities.   
She frowned, sitting next to him and hugging him. “IIt’2 okay.”  
He looked a little surprised, the few people he had told of his abilities to had rejected him, left... They had been... Afraid, she didn’t seem afraid, the embrace brought him a sense of inner warmth that he hadn’t felt since he had been taken from his previous matesprit, to be sold under the cruelty of slavery.   
She looked up at him, not releasing him from the tight embrace. “We all have 2omethiing we don’t liike about our2elve2. But.. iit really can prove u2eful.” She gave him a smile, then frowned again. “ To be hone2t, II hear voiice2..”  
“Voiice2..? What do you mean..?” He looked a bit puzzled.  
“Of the dead.” She nearly whispered, looking back at the ground. He wrapped his arms around her in a reassuring embrace, he was silent, he had known someone with voices following them, she had been so distant, he knew that people like her couldn’t help what they heard.   
“II.. II alway2 have... And they’ve never 2topped,” Her gaze fixed back on him, “Untiil now.”   
“II wonder what made them quiiet down..?” He thought aloud, if anything, his powers would make her hear voices more often, as they only brought death, pain, and loss.  
"II know what iit ii2.." She spoke just above a whisper, not meeting his eyes. "II thiink II'm iin love wiith you."   
He felt a vivid flush burn his cheeks, his heart nearly deafening him with it’s sudden increase in speed, his grip around her shoulders tightened, ever so slightly as he tried to formulate a reply. “II... II love you two.” He murmured after a short period of silence.  
She stared at him, “Y-you.. Do?”   
He nodded, giving her a smile, small, but warm and sincere, the tips of his overly large canines gleamed in the fading light. Solexa smiled back, nuzzling him gently. He felt a small purr hum in the back of his throat, he had never felt so exultant, he was perfectly content, at ease in this seemingly everlasting moment. She giggled quietly, gently kissing his cheek as a dark flush rose to her face. He lay his head on her shoulder, letting his senses pan out, unfocused, he felt peaceful, pleasantly overwhelmed by sound, until he heard an alarming pulse, beating steadily, swiftly; highbloods. She was completely unaware, cuddling him close. Feeling him tense up, she spoke. “What ii2 iit?”   
“II hear a hiighblood.” He murmured, he sounded rather calm, despite the chilling statement. “He doe2n’t know he’2 dead yet.”  
She nodded, looking down. She was a bit scared by his strange power, but tried not to show it. He reached out, grasping the fragile neck vertebrae of the would-be slave hunter, giving them a sharp twist, he was close enough to her that in using his psionics, she could feel their distinct air of twisted grievance. Her eyes were wide the whole time. She knew that these highbloods were trying to take them, but it just felt wrong to kill them. He sighed, feeling the hunters life slip away. “II hate thii2, II hate iit 2o much.” He muttered, quenching the midnight and brick red beacons that his eyes had become. Her arms were still wrapped around him and she hugged him tightly. He set his head on her shoulder, trying to alleviate the headache forming in his skull, using the corrupted side of his mental powers left him feeling a bit weak, and always with a headache that could all too easily become a head-splitting migraine. Frowning, she kissed his forehead. “We 2hould get 2ome re2t.”  
He nodded, noticing the darkening sky, and the arrival of the first stars, he glanced up, mentally tracing Aries and Pisces, the ram and the fish, for once, he didn’t feel the gaping void tug at his heart, instead, he felt a pleasant sort of stillness, as if that hole had been filled. She also looked towards the sky, finding the crab, Cancer, and smiling. ‘You were riight, KK. II diid fiind 2omeone.’ She thought. He inwardly sighed, shifting into a more comfortable position, taking his eyes from the shining specks of fire that danced in the sky, as if to remind him of what he had lost.   
“Hey, II thiink we 2hould fiind 2omewhere two re2t.” She looked at him, “Uhm.. but where?”   
He glanced around, his eyes finally settling on a large tree, with thick, leafy boughs. “Would that work?” She followed his line of vision, then nodded.   
“Alriight!” She got up, taking his hand once he got up as well, and starting over to the tree. He smiled, gently giving her hand a squeeze before he released it. He stared up for a moment, his gaze seeking potential handholds; Solexa took his hand again, starting to climb the tree. “Come on!”   
He smiled, watching her, waiting for a second before he began to climb, his hands searching for hand-holds, his psionics providing them if none could be found. Solexa made her way about halfway up the tree before remembering her major acrophobia. Looking at the ground, she panicked, losing her grip on the tree. He reached out, his arm wrapping firmly around her waist, his mental abilities keeping him firmly glued to the tree.   
She smiled at him, her heart still thrumming in her chest. “Th-thank2..”  
He nodded, returning her grin, starting to climb again, his continued usage of his Psionics was starting to give him a bit of a headache, but he did reach the desired branch, sitting on it with a sensation of relief as he could finally rest his psionics. Solexa sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, drowsily. He smiled, blushing vividly as he put an arm around her shoulder. “Good niight.” He murmured, lying his head on hers.  
“Niight~” She whispered before slipping into a dreamy state. He could feel himself drifting off, her heartbeat was already becoming a familiar, comforting sound within his odd sensory range, lulling him into a sense of security.  
Hours passed, the two silently sleeping until there was a rustle below them, and a voice asking “You’re sure they came through here?”   
The rustling noise, as well as their hearts, had betrayed them to Sollux, awakening him to their conversation. He silently slinked out on the thick limb, keeping himself as flat as possible, feeling masses of air within the clearing begin to shift under the shaded, subtle influence of the injury-inducing side of his powers, creating an airless vacuum. The highbloods struggled for their breath, choking on nothing and trying to figure out what it could be that was doing this. Solexa abruptly woke up, gasping for the thinning air. She managed to cough out Sollux’s name quietly. Air began to return as the almost inaudible exclamation broke his concentration, he turned, his eyes widened as he saw her gasping for air, he crawled to her as quickly as he could, the highbloods below, affected much more strongly by the airless psionic field, had collapsed, beginning to pass out from lack of air. She was trying to catch her breath, feeling majorly lightheaded. “W-what wa2 that?!”   
He glanced down, sitting cross-legged on the bough. “II 2hiifted the major ma22e2 of aiir from the area, concentratiing on the hiighblood2 iin partiicular, II diidn’t thiink you would be affected by iit... II’m 2orry.”  
“N-no.. It’2 fiine. II’m fiine.” She rubbed her eyes, feeling dizzy.   
He frowned, sincerely contrite. “II need two work on that, II’ve nearly 2uffocated my2elf when II fiir2t triied thii2.”  
She frowned, kissing his cheek, “IIt’2 okay! II thiink iit’2 kiinda cool, albeiit deadly.”  
He felt a faint flush tinge his face, he nodded. “O-Okay, we 2hould get goiing 2oon.”  
She nodded back to him, "Good iidea. II beliieve we need two go... that way." She pointed toward a barely visible path. Sollux nodded, taking one of her hands in his, finding the gesture to be comforting, and somewhat soothing for his troubled mind.


	5. Never Alone

Solexa jumped from the high branch, slowing them both as they approached the ground. He smiled lightly at her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “Let’2 keep goiing.” He murmured, his eyes affixed on the trail ahead. She squeezed back, giving him a smile and nodded, starting toward the trail. His keen senses panned out over the environment, animals, grass, even trees beat with an ever changing, yet constant rhythm. They continued down the path for awhile, in silence, on constant guard, like tigers waiting to pounce. Little did they know that not too far from where they wandered, was a large group of hunters. Sollux took in a deep breath, feeling a little bit on edge, his senses shrank in range in an attempt to calm himself, perhaps he was just paranoid, but he swore he could feel something, or someone, watching them. She glanced at him, “Do you hear anythiing..?”  
He shook his head, feeling a little worried. “No, II don’t.” She nodded, “uhm.. you thure?”  
He nodded, looking at her, a bit apprehensive. “Yeah, II thiink 2o.” She glanced around, nervously, then back down at the trail below them, her hair falling in her eyes, “II have that feeliing.. That we’re beiing watched..”  
He turned to see a large net hurtling towards them, its fibers woven from the same metal as his collar, meaning it would block off their Psionics if it came into physical contact with them.   
Before she could move, Solexa found herself entangled in yet another net, cursing and trying to use her Psionics to get out, only to feel them recoil onto her. He dodged out of the way as a second net sought to wrap him within it’s restraining confines, he could hear her heartbeat elevate as her Psionics caused a painful report as they rebounded. The pain she was in didn’t simply anger him, it made him snap; his eyes came alive with an incandescent glow as vicious, dark energies lanced into the highblooded hunters as his powers ran awry. Plantlife and fauna alike died, the once-green plants blackened and shriveled, animals collapsed, dead from a sudden doubling of their heart rate. Solexa’s eyes opened, and through her blurred vision, she watched Sollux, in horror, unable to speak. His mouth opened in a silent scream as some of the capillaries in his eyes burst, causing yellow blood to spill down his cheeks, his Psionics were pushing themselves to the limit, overloading his ocular sense in a way that it should not have been, causing damage to not just the sclera, but his depth perception and vision as well. The girl quickly untangled herself from the net, running toward him. “2ollux?!” She stopped near him, unsure if she should come any closer. Though her voice managed to pierce the agonized veil of his insane rage, he felt unable to stop himself, he managed to speak, in a shaky, pleading whisper. “H-Help. M-Me..!” Unknowing of how to do so, she made her way closer to him, then wrapped her arms around his shoulders, shaking. “IIt’2 okay.. IIt’2 all goiing t-two be okay.. Calm down...”  
The near-black energy flickered, slowly fading, the overexertion left him weak, Sollux’s knees buckled underneath him, and he slid to the ground, his hands traveling up to his face as something warm and wet trailed down his cheeks. Blood.  
Solexa kneeled in front of him, slowly taking his hands in hers, taking a look at the damage done. She gasped, not saying a word. Sollux felt alarm shoot through him, not just because of the gasp, but because even at this close range, she appeared blurry. “2-2olexa..? Wh-what happened two my eye2?” His voice betrayed the rising levels of panic he was feeling as he failed to keep calm.   
“II.. II thiink a few blood ve22el2 popped..” She squeezed his hands, the feeling of horror still lingering. “Y-you’ll be okay.. II promii2e..”  
“Wh-What?! N-No, 2olexa, II doubt II’m goiing two recover from thii2...” He paused for a moment, taking in a breath before continuing. “Leave me here.”  
She shook her head. “No. Never.” She squeezed his hands again lightly. “II’m not leaviing you for the world.”  
“No, leave. Me. Here, II’m only goiing two 2low you down and get you kiilled, II don’t want that two happen!”  
Her response was only a single word, “No.”  
He growled in frustration. “Ye2, LEAVE ME!” Sollux yelled, deep, deep down, he wanted her to stay, unlike everyone else, everyone always left, and he would always stay behind, alone.  
Solexa felt tears burn her eyes as she snapped back at him, “2OLLUX, NO. WE’VE COME THII2 FAR AND II’M NOT GOIING TWO FUCKIING LEAVE YOU... Not for anythiing.. A2 long a2 you get out 2afe, II don’t care about anythiing el2e..” A few tears of diluted yellow made their way down his face, nearly indistinguishable from blood, guilt tore at his heart like a rabid beast as his mood took a sudden swing. “II’m 2orry... II gue22 we could try two keep g-goiing.” She silently nodded, shakily tearing a piece of fabric from the bottom of her shirt and wiping the blood and tears from his face. He shut his eyes, the salty tears stinging viciously at his eyes. She paused for a moment, to gently kiss his lips and whisper a quiet, “II love you.”  
He smiled slightly, still feeling a little guilty about yelling at her. “II love you two.” He murmured, gently rubbing at his eyes in an attempt to rid them of the stinging salt.   
She took one of his hands, staring to get up. “We 2hould get goiing. We 2tiill have a long way two go.” He nodded, getting up as well, his eyes stayed closed, as they had become hyper-sensitive to light and harsh colors. Sollux planned on following her heartbeat, her hand guiding him. Solexa started along the path again, guiding him through the twists and turns of the forest. He nearly stumbled a few times, Sollux had rarely ever felt so helpless, and yet he was glad that she was there, guiding him when someone else might’ve listened to him, and left. Hours went by, with no sign of any hunters, Solexa began to grow tired, stopping at a large tree, which she began to climb, Sollux in tow with her psionics. As she sat on a large bough, memories that haunted her since Sollux had snapped played in her mind, making her restless. He put his arms around her waist, sensing the restlessness in his matesprit. “A-Are you alriight..?”   
She was silent for a moment, then finally spoke, her voice quiet, timid, almost. “Have II told you about how II got out of the market...?”  
Sollux shook his head, forcing an eye open to look at her. “No.”  
Solexa sighed, looking down at the forest floor beneath them. “A-about a half 2weep ago, II wa2 beiing 2old off, yet agaiin. II wa2 2o 2cared, 2o angry, 2o horriifiied that II ju2t fliipped out.. Wiith 2o much p2iioniic force that my collar..broke. IIt wa2 h-horriifyiing.. There w-were 2o many bodiie2... and then II ju2t ran.. II wa2 2o traumatiized by iit all... II could barely 2peak for a periigee..” She closed her eyes, her body shaking as tears started to fall down her cheeks. Sollux lightly stroked through her hair. “2hh, IIt’2 all over now, no-one wiill ever hurt eiither of u2 ever agaiin, II promii2e. We’re free.”   
“II don’t know about that, 2ollux.. Vrii2ka’2 2tiill there iin that viillage.. And 2he’2 probably 2tiill furiiou2 wiith me.”  
He gently kissed her cheek, giving her a reassuring glance. “We can face her twogether.” Vriska had not only ruined Sollux’s life, but had nearly killed his Matesprit as well, and that made the old anger burn and smolder even more furiously than before.  
“II.. II thiink II want two face her alone.”   
Sollux tilted his head at her, a little bit surprised, his thoughts raced; ‘2he could get her2elf kiilled, Vrii2ka’2 no pu2hover. Not at all..’  
“Look, II know 2he’2 done horriible thiing2... but II need two face her my2elf...”   
He sighed, nodding. “Okay.” Despite how badly he wanted to kill the ceruleanblood with his hands alone, she seemed to need it more than he did.  
She gave him a light smile, hugging him tight, “Thank you, 2o much.” After a moment, she glanced around. “Judgiing from where we are riight now, the viillage ii2n’t that far off.. We 2hould be there tomorrow.”   
He smiled at her, his sharp teeth flashing in the dying light. “Alriight, we 2hould get 2ome 2leep for twomorrow. Good niight, II love you.”  
She smiled back, hugging him tightly. “II love you, two.” She murmured, falling to sleep. He lay his head on her shoulder, closing his damaged eyes, though his thoughts were affixed elsewhere, he hoped that when the time came to fight Vriska, she would be okay.  
Horrid nightmares of what could happen danced around her, unable to wake herself. Sollux could feel the uneasiness as she slumbered, worrying him out of his light doze, he gently shook her shoulders. “2olexa..?” He whispered, trying to wake her.  
Her eyes opened, quickly, the fear evident in her eyes, but trying not to show it, “Hn?”   
He gently hugged her, keeping his arms around her shoulders as he spoke “Are you okay?”  
“F-fiine..” She murmured, not wanting to worry him. He shook his head, not believing her. “Tell me, what’2 wrong..?”   
“II can’t 2top thiinkiing about what’2 goiing two happen..” She whispered. “What iif 2he.. What iif II diie?”  
“You won’t diie, you’ll be fiine.” He murmured in an attempt to reassure her, one of his hands gently stroked through her hair, a little bit absentmindedly.   
"O-okay..." She sighed, nuzzling him gently, still scared out of her mind. He began to hum spftly, a collection of calming notes, drifting upon the still night air. She started to calm down, sighing and starting to drift back to sleep. He smiled at her, still stroking her hair and humming the soft little song, as his own eyes began to close, and he drifted off, sleeping peacefully.


End file.
